Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Wednesday made a strong pitch for adoption of sustainable and inclusive models in tourism as it is abundantly clear that future of the sector depends entirely on preserving nature and culture from the ravages of environmental destruction and climate change.
He said this while inaugurating the first edition of South India’s prestigious travel expo Global Travel Market (GTM 2023) here, which saw the participation of tourism sector stakeholders from various areas.
“It is a great relief to see that nations are accelerating climate action by adopting sustainable and inclusive models. The idea of sustainability and inclusivity has been reinforced by the recent G-20 leadership summit, which emphasised the key role of tourism in advancing social and economic development,” said Khan.
“The travellers of today are keen observers and conscious about their ethical and ecological concerns and they look at tourism as an experience that provides an authentic feel of the nature, people and cultures of places they visit. The respect for nature and the interest in preserving the environment have been part of our culture since time immemorial,” added Khan.
GTM 2023, an annual B2B travel and trade exhibition, is organised by South Kerala Hoteliers Forum (SKHF), Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce and Industries (TCCI), Tavaz Ventures, Metro Media and Citrine Hospitality Ventures.
Goa Governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai inaugurated the seminar sessions which will deliberate on various topics on the theme ‘Experience the Essence of South India: Where Culture Meets Nature’.
–IANS